Pocket insert for a woman&#39;s purse



Jan. 16, 1951 M. E. w. SMITH POCKET INSERT FOR A WOMANS PURSE Filed Sept. 20, 1948 INVENTOR.

22:0 am 2 2212 5mm 29 2a 19 27 as n 26 Patented Jan. 16, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE POCKET INSERT FOR AWOMANPS'PURSE Marjorie E. W. Smith, Des Moines, Iowa Application September 20, 1948, Serial No. 50,110

(01. LEO-30) 2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to womens hand bags and purses and in particular to a pocket insert for a womans purse.

Womens purses and handbags, now commercially available, are provided with various pocket combinations for holding a variety of articles suchas compacts, cigarettes, fingernail files, lipsticks and the like. It is not uncommon for a woman to have a number of purses corresponding to various dress ensembles. Thus in changing from one ensemble to another, it is oftentimes necessary to completely remove all of the articles from one purse and replace them in a second purse. An object of this invention is to provide a pocket insert for a womans purse capable of holding purse articles and interchangeable from one purse to another.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pocket insert for a womans purse of a construction such that the insert is adapted to be self-supported in an upright position when placed on a table surface or the like.

A further object of this invention is to provide a pocket insert for a womans purse in which the pockets are extensible and contractible so as to readily receive relatively bulky articles over substantially the full depth thereof.

Still another object of tln's invention is to provide a pocket-insert for a womans purse which is of a simple and-economical construction, adapted to be received within purses of varying designs and shapes, and capable of holding a plurality of articles for ready accessibility.

A feature of this-invention is found in the provision of a pocket insert for a womans purse in which a substantially U-shape pocket-forming member of a one-piece construction is provided with a base section adapted to be contracted and expanded in a direction longitudinally of the pocket-forming member. The pocket member is formed further with transversely spaced longitudinally .folded portions which extend through the base section. Positioned between the leg sections of the pocket member is a flat upright center member which is secured to the folded portions in. the leg sections to form oppositely arrange pockets which are extensible and contractible laterally of the center member and in the same direction as the base section. The extension and contraction of the oppositely arranged pockets takes place concurrently withan extension and contraction of the base section whereby a pocket on being filled is capable. of having a substantially uniform transverse cross sectionover itslfull-depth .01. length.

Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which;

Fig. .1 is .a side elevational view of the purse pocket insertof this invention;

Fig. 2v .is a longitudinal sectional view of the insert as seenalong the line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig.3 is a transverse sectional view of the insert takeneon theline ,33 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view illustrated similarly to Fig. 3 showing. oppositely arranged pockets of the insert filled with relatively bulky articles;

Fig. 5 is a view "illustrated similarly to Fig. 3

. showing the pockets partially filled;

Fig. Bis a developed view of the pocket-formingmember of the. insert; I

Fig. '7 is illustrated similarly to Fig. 6 and shows the pocket-forming member with transversely extend'edfold'portions'th'erein;

Fig. 8 is a side view of the pocket forming membertas shown'in Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is an end view of the pocket-forming member as. shown in Fig. 7, showing longitudinally extended folded portions over the central portion thereof.

'Withreference'tothe drawings, the pocket insertior a womans 'purseof this invention is illustrated in Figs. 1 and. 2 as including a pocketiorming member, indicated. generally at ill, of a substantially U-shape having .a base section ll andleg sections I2; Arranged between the leg sections i2 andsecured to certain portions thereof, as will later appear, is a center dividing or backing member P3.

The pocket-forming member l6 (Fig. 6) is of a =one-piece construction and may be formed from a suitable fabric or a material of a plastic paper composition. .In its developed form, and as shown in Fig. 6, the body member H3 is of a substantially rectangular shape and in its forming for assembly purposes, is provided with pairs of. longitudinally spaced fold lines Hi, H3, l1, l8 and I9. Arranged centrally of the pocket-forming member 1.0, and extended longitudinally thereof, are transversely spaced fold lines 2|, 223, and 23'. The fold lines 21 and 23 define the :base section H of the pocket member iii, namely, the junction of the leg sections 62 with the base sec'tion ll.

As illustrated in Fig. 8, the pocket member 58 is. reversely folded at the fold lines it so as to form what might be called an accordion pleat 2:4- Similar to the folding at the lines #4, the bodymember is folded at the fold lines l1 and I9 to form accordion pleats 2S and 21, respectively. The pocket member I0, at the fold lines I6 and I8, is folded reversely relative to the folding at the lines I4, I! and I9 to form accordion pleats 28 and 29, respectively, which are extendible and contractible concurrently with and in the same direction as the pleats 24, 25 and 21. It will be noted further that all of the pleats 24, 26, 21, 28 and 29 are arranged to the same side of the pocket member ID.

- On completion of this folding operation along the transverse fold lines on the pocket member ID, the member ID is folded along the longitudinal lines 2|, 22 and 23, as illustrated in Fig. 9, to provide for the leg sections I2 being folded upwardly and inwardly toward each other, as indicated in dotted lines along the fold lines 2I and 23, such that the base section II is capable of being projected upwardly between the inner adjacent ends of the leg sections I2. In other words, the pocket member I6 is reversely folded at the lines 2i and 23, relative to its folding at the line 22, to form an articulated base section II comprised of portions SI and 32 connected together at the fold line 22 for a hinged movement toward and away from each other. By virtue of this construction of the base section I I, it is seen that this section is contractible and extensible in a direction transversely of the pocket member Ill.

The center or partition member I3, is of a substantially rectangular shape, composed of a relatively stiff fabric material, and of a length corresponding to the length of the pocket member II] When folded, as shown in Fig. 7. The width or height of the center member I3 is slightly greater than the length of a leg section I2.

In assembly, the center member I3 is arranged between the leg sections I2 (Fig. 3) and to one side of a base portion 3| and 32, when the base section II is contracted, such that its opposite ends terminate at the ends of the pocket member I0, its lower end 36 is spaced from the inner adjacent ends of the leg sections I2, defined by the fold lines 2| and 23, and its upper end 31 projects upwardly from the free ends 38 of the leg sections I2. The center member I3 is secured to the leg sections [2 at positions adjacent their free ends 33 by sewing or lflie means. As indicated in Figs. 2 and 6, the leg sections I2 are sewed to the center member I3 at 39, between adjacent fold lines I8 and I9, at Al between adjacent fold lines I6 and I1, and at 42 to the outside of the fold line indicated as I la. The opposite ends 43 of the pocket member In (Fig. 2) are secured to the opposite ends of the center member I3 by adhesive tape fastenings 44.

It is seen, therefore (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) that this assembly of the pocket member IE] with the center member I3 results in the forming of pockets 46, 41, 48 and 49 arranged at opposite sides of the center member I3. By virtue of the pleats 24, 26, 21, 28 and 29, it is seen that the pockets 46, 4! and 48 are extensible and contractible in directions laterally of the center member I3. On filling of the pockets 4'. and 48, their extension and contraction takes place concurrently with an extension and contraction of the base section II.

In the use of the pocket insert, assume that the oppositely arranged pockets 4! (Fig. 4) are filled with a package of cigarettes, indicated at and a compact shown at 52. On insertion of these articles Within the pockets ll, the pockets are extended laterally from the center member I3 concurrently with an extension of the base section II laterally of the center member I3 so that a pinching or squeezing of these articles at the lower ends of the pockets 41, as would occur if the base section I I were not extensible, is completely eliminated. Stated otherwise, due to the concurrent expansion of the pockets 41 and base section I I, the pockets 41 are adapted, when completely filled, to have a transverse cross-sectional area which is substantially uniform over the complete length or depth of the pockets.

It will be further importantly noted that when articles are received within the pockets 4? or 48, that the extension of the base section II provides a relatively flat surface so that the pocket insert is capable of being self -supported on a table or the like. Thus when the pocket insert is being transferred from one purse to another, it can be readily supported on a table before it is transferred to a second purse, without tipping over so as to discharge articles therefrom.

As shown in Fig. 5, the self-supporting action of the pocket insert will take place when the pockets '27 and 48 are partially filled so as to provide for a slight extension of the base section suificient to space the fold lines 2| and 23 for a counteracting contact support on a table surface or the like.

The pockets 55;, which are illustrated as being non-extensible and non-contractible, may be used for carrying fingernail files, combs and the like, while the extensible and contractible pockets 66 may be used for carrying pencils, lipsticks and the like.

From a consideration of the above description, it is seen that the invention provides a pocket insert for a womans purse which is of a compact and simple design, and capable of efficiently carrying a wide variety of different articles in a readily accessible manner. Further, due to the oppositely arranged pockets 4'! and 48 being extensible and contractible concurrently with the base section II, when these pockets are either partially or fully filled, the insert is adapted to be self-supported in an upright position to facilitate its transfer from one purse to another.

Although the invention has been described and lustrated with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that changes and modifications can be made therein which are within the full intended scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A pocket insert for a womans purse comprising an upright flat center member, a substantially U-shape pocket member consisting of a base section and leg sections formed of a single piece of material, with the base section of said pocket member having a centrally arranged longitudinal upwardly projected fold portion to provide for the transverse extension and contraction of said base section, and a plurality of longitudinally spaced folded portions in said pocket member, said center member being arranged between the leg sections of said pocket member and to one side of the fold in said base section so that said base section is independent of said center member for extensible and contractible movement relative thereto, and means for securing said spaced folded portions to said center member such that the pocket member portions between said spaced folded portions and said base section are concurrently extensible and contractible in the same directions.

2. A pocket insert for a womans purse comprisin a substantially U-shape pocket-forming member having a transversely extensible and contractible base section and leg sections, a flat upright center member disposed between the leg sections of said pocket-forming member, foldable portions spaced longitudinally of said pocket-forming member, and means securing said foldable portions to said center member whereby. to form pocket portions at opposite sides of said center member, with opposite ones of said pocket portions being open to each other between said base section and the lower side of said center member whereby said pocket portions are extensible and contractible laterally of said center member over their complete length concurrently withithe extension and contraction of said base section.

MARJORIE E. W. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

